Mandatory locally recycled content – Lack of EU Support Risks Collapse of Circular Plastic Economy — Why LyondellBasell and Eastman Urgently Demand Mandatory Locally Recycled Content 28-11-2025
Mandatory locally recycled content
Why LyondellBasell and Eastman Are Calling for Mandatory Locally Recycled Content
The plastics industry in Europe is under serious strain. According to recent data from industry association Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE), recycling capacity across the region has seen “the sharpest decline” in 2024 — with nearly 300 kilotonnes of capacity lost in that year alone. letsrecycle.com+1
Amid this crisis, Eastman made headlines on 17 November 2025 by formally urging policy-makers to require that recycled-content targets be met with material derived from waste collected and processed within Europe. mandatory locally recycled content
The company argues this is the only way to safeguard local jobs, maintain industrial know-how, and prevent unfair competition from cheaper imported recycled plastics that may be produced under lower environmental and labor standards. Eastman+1
Simultaneously, LyondellBasell is ramping up investments in advanced recycling infrastructure — including a new pilot facility in Ferrara, Italy — as part of its push to supply high-quality recycled polymers to European markets. plasticsandrubberasia.cn+1
Together, the two companies are calling for a clear, enforceable mandate that ensures recycled plastic content in packaging and other products comes from locally collected waste. They see this as critical to stabilising Europe’s circular economy and avoiding a further collapse of recycling capacity. mandatory locally recycled content
The Scale of the Crisis: Europe’s Recycling Industry in Decline
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The latest report from PRE shows 2024 was the worst year on record — the largest annual capacity contraction ever. RECYCLING magazine+1
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Early 2025 data suggest things may be worsening: closures of recycling facilities have increased by around 50% compared with the previous year, with nearly 1 million tonnes of capacity lost across Europe over the last three years. RECYCLING magazine+1
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Key factors behind the decline include rising energy and operational costs, weak demand for EU-made recyclates, and a flood of low-priced plastic imports that undercut local recyclers’ competitiveness. letsrecycle.com+2The Parliament Magazine+2
This downward spiral has serious consequences: loss of jobs, reduced industrial resilience, and potential failure to meet long-term circularity goals set by EU legislation. mandatory locally recycled content
What LyondellBasell and Eastman Propose
Local waste → local recycled content
Eastman argues that recycled-content requirements should be satisfied first and foremost using plastic waste collected and processed in Europe. This would help preserve local recycling infrastructure, maintain jobs, and prevent the sector from being undercut by cheap imported recyclates made under unclear environmental conditions. Eastman+1
Boosting advanced and chemical recycling capacity
LyondellBasell is not just calling for policy change — it’s also investing. Its new pilot recycling facility in Ferrara, Italy, leverages its proprietary molecular-recycling technology (“MoReTec”), developed with research partners, to convert post-consumer plastic waste into high-quality plastics suitable for reuse — including polystyrene with recycled content usable in insulation, packaging, and more. plasticsandrubberasia.cn+1
This complements its broader circular-economy strategy: in 2024, LyondellBasell reported a 65% increase in sales of recycled and renewable polymers compared with the previous year. bkv-gmbh.de+1
Policy alignment with EU targets
Industry-wide statements from plastic producers and waste companies — including LyondellBasell and Eastman — reflect growing support for mandatory recycled-content quotas. Many endorse a 30% target by 2030 for plastic packaging, aligning with revisited regulatory frameworks such as the revised packaging-waste directive. Plastics Europe+1
Stronger rules would help stabilize demand for high-quality recycled plastics, encouraging more investment into recycling infrastructure and giving EU recyclers security against unfair imports. mandatory locally recycled content
Risks If No Action Is Taken
Without enforceable requirements and support for local recycling, Europe’s plastics-recycling sector may continue its downward slide. More facilities may close, key technologies may be under-invested, and the region could become increasingly dependent on imported materials — undermining carbon-reduction goals, circular-economy ambitions, and industrial sovereignty.
This could also erode public trust: consumers who diligently sort waste and expect it to be recycled may see their efforts wasted if local recycling collapses. mandatory locally recycled content
Conclusion: Local Recycling Mandates Could Save Europe’s Circular Plastics Future
The call from LyondellBasell and Eastman isn’t just about corporate interest — it’s emerging as a necessary response to a systemic collapse in Europe’s plastic-waste recycling infrastructure. By requiring that recycled content comes from waste collected and processed locally, regulators could protect jobs, bolster investment, and secure a stable supply of high-quality recycled polymers. In turn, this would help anchor Europe’s circular-economy ambitions in reality — not just ambition. mandatory locally recycled content
For policymakers weighing the upcoming legislative proposals on packaging and recycled content, the message from these industry leaders is clear: without mandatory, locally-sourced recycled content, the circular future for plastics in Europe may unravel.
